RootsChat.Com

England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: slewis on Sunday 16 April 06 16:15 BST (UK)

Title: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: slewis on Sunday 16 April 06 16:15 BST (UK)
Hi
 Do you remember Coopers shop it was in Church St, as soon as you went in the smell of coffee hit you.
That is all i remember is the smell, it was next door to were WH Smiths is now.
I am looking for any history or info about the place, My husbands grandad Albert Kelly worked their and other member's of the family did, and we think their was a connection, another name that keeps coming up is Sir Bertram Grimes, who ever he is ? can any one tell me.
We know they had Coopers store's in Scotland, as Albert went to work up their somtimes.
Can anyone tell me who owned Coopers ?
Any info  or History about the store would be very much appreciated.
          Sue
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: liverpool annie on Monday 17 April 06 07:50 BST (UK)


Hi Sue !!

Mmmmm the smell !!  ;) - it was too posh a shop for us to shop there - but it was a great meeting place - we always met outside Coopers - much better than Lewis's !! .... stand over the grates in the winter time  .......... ! ::) ::) ::)
I found this - not the answer to your question - but thought it might be something of interest !!

May Blitz During May and the first two weeks of June, bombing took place practically every night - about half the dead and injured due to bombing in the entire war occurred during this period. This is commonly reported as being some sort of final action before the invasion of the USSR. The first week of May seems to have been the really bad time. Altogether 79 raids took place. 11.000 houses were destroyed.


Thursday May 1. Low Hill and Cazeneau Street hit badly but it appears the bad weather hindered the Luftwaffe's plans

Friday May 2. Four / five hours of bombing

Saturday May 3. Bombing from 22.30 until 0500. Lewis's and Blacklers department stores destroyed. The music section of the William Brown Library was totally wiped out, along with an estimated 150,000 volumes throughout the entire City Library. The fire in the Library spread to the neighboring Art Gallery and Museum. The Central Post Office in Victoria Street was put out of action and all the records held by the Tax Offices in the India Buildings were destroyed by fire. The major area of devastation was to south of Lord Street - this area seems never to have recovered and become a 'part' of the city again (talking subjectively). In Huskisson Dock, incendiaries set fire to an ammunition ship, the S.S. Malakand, which blew up the entire dock and ripped a section out of the Overhead Railway. Despite this, only four people seem to have been killed by it - two crew who were trying to scuttle the ship and, tragically, a newly-married couple whose car was hit by debris. A stray bomb caught a munitions train parked seemingly out of the way in Clubmoor, in the Forfar Road area. Despite the tragedy of this incident there appears to have been a slightly comic outcome - when the emergency crews realized they couldn't do much about the ammunition trucks, they went about saving a large cargo of Spam and corned beef. Mill Road Infirmary was hit, demolishing several of its buildings.

Sunday May 4. Bombing started at midnight and lasted until 04.30

Monday May 5. Bombing again started about midnight. Bold Street/Berry Street area was particularly hard hit. The bombed-out remains of St. Luke's church remains to this day as a memorial. A high-explosive bomb appears to have fallen through the roof of the Anglican Cathedral but was deflected back by a beam. The resulting explosion caused severe damage to the windows.

Tuesday May 6. Bombing again from midnight. Extensive damage, including Cooper's shop in Church Street

Wednesday May 7. Considered to be the worst night after Saturday May 3.. For Bootle, this was their worst night.

Raids continued but not with the same intensity.

Annie  :)
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: slewis on Monday 17 April 06 15:34 BST (UK)
Hi Annie
 Thanks for your help, a lot of intresting bits of info. I dont remember if i ever went in the shop i just remember that smell.
        Thanks again Sue  :)
           
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Stormin on Thursday 01 June 06 11:27 BST (UK)
Just a slight correction to your memory .WH. Smith now occupies the old Coopers building.Next to it used to be C&A's which is now Next(no pun intended).Do you remember at easter time coopers used to have live chicks in the window
Ah nostalgia is not what it used to be
Regards Norman
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Liverpoolgirl on Monday 12 December 11 20:54 GMT (UK)
I'm interested in any information on Coopers on Church Street as my parents held their wedding reception there in 1945.  Does anyone know if it was a restaurant and was this above a shop?
thanks
Diane
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: garstonite on Tuesday 13 December 11 07:13 GMT (UK)
I remember Coopers very well...I remember the chicks in the window too.The basement was where they had the delicatessant - roll mop pickled herring stick out in my memory. The top floor was a Tea room and was hired out for private functions and if I remember correctly Coopers had their own Jazz style band - all workers at Coopers, which played at the private functions...I remember my wife feeling the tomatoes and the assistant telling her off...lol...
allan :)
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: JOHNNIE on Wednesday 14 December 11 12:23 GMT (UK)
Hi, I worked at F.W. Woolworths head office, across the road above the Mariners Restaurant, some nice uniforms in there at lunctime!  Coopers was always open early mornings and it was there I bought a Granny Smith each day!

J -  :)
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: ginny44 on Sunday 18 December 11 13:21 GMT (UK)
Here's a link to Liverpool Museums archives about Coopers Cafe:-

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/conservation/exhibitions/metropolis/leisure/coopers.aspx

Regards
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Humphpaul on Tuesday 20 December 11 16:42 GMT (UK)
Some bits re all above. There was a Coopers in Glasgow. I bought a Haggis there about 1956 for a Scot in Liverpool. They also had a branch in the shops opposite the Carlton cinema in Tuebrook.
We used to get our groceries delivered from the main shop and one day the delivery man said he would not be coming next week as he had won £16000 on the Irish Sweep.
We lived in Montrose Rd. next to Forfar and were under the stairs as all 31 trucks of the ammunition train went up from 9pm Saturday to 9am Sunday. I think the only death was the train driver who stayed on to position the train between the Clubmoor and Tuebrook bridges to save them. They were very important as a route from the north end docks. I hope he got a medal.
They did have a restaurant/cafe on the first floor.
Some people who worked there said their first job in the morning before opening was to bang around a lot to scare the rats back to the basement store where they lived. I think any place with a basement in that area had rats. My mother worked in School Lane in the 1940s and saw many.
Humphpaul
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: emeraldislegirl on Sunday 12 February 12 14:29 GMT (UK)
I remember Coopers.  It closed when I was a small child, but my grandmother worked as a silver service waitress in the restaurant, which was on the upper floors, she was irish and worked there for about 25 years, her best friend was scottish and also worked there for great number of years, they both worked until the shop closed circa 1969.  Very high class restaurant - beautiful food.  The ground floor had the coffee grinding as you went in through the door on Church Street, it was located to the left.  They did have live chicks in the main window at Easter too.  There was another entrance in Paradise Street, which led into where the fish was sold in the Food Hall.  I wish this store was still here, it would be a fantastic shop to have with all the food from all over the world, and old fashioned services like delivery, which ironic since the supermarkets now do this.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: AlanOnTheWirral on Wednesday 15 February 12 09:30 GMT (UK)
Yes, the smell of coffee from outside took you to the Coffee Grinder in the window I seem to recall and in the Food Hall there was sawdust on the floor.   Being a kid at the time we went up for tea or to the KD (Kardomah) across the road.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Veerice on Tuesday 11 February 14 13:20 GMT (UK)
I remember Coopers very well.  I was a silver service waitress in the restaurant on the first floor from 1960 to 1964.  It was taken over by Scotts/Westins and they closed the bakery on the 6th floor. They brought in pink S&H stamps and closed the self service part of the restaurant to make a redemption centre, which Ken Dodd opened.  It was closed not long after,  Such a shame.  We used to do the Lord Mayors Banquet and because it didn't have a licence the staff from St Georges Hotel on Lime Street used to come down with their bars. I was there when Hendersons went on fire. We made tea for survivors and emergency services.  They had to close the front of the restaurant for a while in case Henderson's building collapsed. I have a photo somewhere of all the waitresses, will see if I can find it.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: back2back on Sunday 02 March 14 16:45 GMT (UK)
Hi
Further to S.S. Malakand, my father was one of firemen trying to put out the fire. The fire was caused by an overhead barrage balloon catching fire, and dropping on to the deck.The fire crews were given 15 minutes to get off when it was realised it could not be saved. When it blew it took quite a few other ships with it (an anchor was found embedded in Bootle) The senior fire officer I think, was awarded the George Cross.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: johannah1 on Sunday 02 March 14 17:39 GMT (UK)
http://www.liverpoolpicturebook.com/p/l1.html few pics coopers on here
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Veerice on Friday 09 May 14 13:35 BST (UK)
This as a photo from 1962 of the silver service waitresses in Coopers Café in Liverpool.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: martha26 on Tuesday 19 May 15 22:19 BST (UK)
My Mother worked in the staff canteen before it was bombed. One of her jobs was to go down to the delicatessen to bring provisions back up to the canteen, she remembers very well the lovely smell of coffee and what a wonderful place Coopers was.

We've left another post asking about the staff canteen manager, she was very kind to my young Mother who would love to know her name.

Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received.
Best
Mary.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Davie Williams on Thursday 01 September 16 17:38 BST (UK)
Hi
 Do you remember Coopers shop it was in Church St, as soon as you went in the smell of coffee hit you.
That is all i remember is the smell, it was next door to were WH Smiths is now.
I am looking for any history or info about the place, My husbands grandad Albert Kelly worked their and other member's of the family did, and we think their was a connection, another name that keeps coming up is Sir Bertram Grimes, who ever he is ? can any one tell me.
We know they had Coopers store's in Scotland, as Albert went to work up their somtimes.
Can anyone tell me who owned Coopers ?
Any info  or History about the store would be very much appreciated.
          Sue
Hi Sue! i have a vinyl record that has the "goodwill"messages of the staff!!
It is by Majestic records,and i suspect somebody recorded there words,and put them onto this very old lp! feel free to email me re whats on it, it plays well,it really shows how the accents have changed over the years,just looked at the record it says " Messages of Coopers ,Liverpool, Goodwill from Mr Harold West" :)
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Humphpaul on Friday 02 September 16 11:48 BST (UK)
We used to get weekly grocery deliveries from Coopers about the end of the 1940s. One day the driver told us he was finishing that week as he had won £15,000 (I think) on the Irish sweep stake. We never saw him again. Cheers Humphpaul
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: Pinky Devereux on Sunday 18 September 16 10:50 BST (UK)
I remember Coopers.  It closed when I was a small child, but my grandmother worked as a silver service waitress in the restaurant, which was on the upper floors, she was irish and worked there for about 25 years, her best friend was scottish and also worked there for great number of years, they both worked until the shop closed circa 1969.  Very high class restaurant - beautiful food.  The ground floor had the coffee grinding as you went in through the door on Church Street, it was located to the left.  They did have live chicks in the main window at Easter too.  There was another entrance in Paradise Street, which led into where the fish was sold in the Food Hall.  I wish this store was still here, it would be a fantastic shop to have with all the food from all over the world, and old fashioned services like delivery, which ironic since the supermarkets now do this.
my grandmother worked as a demonstrator in 1930s......she was from anfield
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: SusanElizabeth1949 on Sunday 09 February 20 10:55 GMT (UK)
Just loved reading everyone's memories of Coopers. I too remember it fondly.
I worked there in ther 60's in the offices. It was my first job after leaving college as a trained shorthand typist.  I was the general managers secretary and his name was Mr O'Rourke.
As everyone has said - the coffee counter was on the left as you entered the door from Church Street. To the right was the Tobacco counter and in front of that the sweets counter. There was also the butchers, bakery, fruit and veg (manager Mr McCoy), health and nutrition . Down on the lower level, which was entered from Paradise Street, was the chemist one side and on the other, wines. There were more counters but I can't remember what they were. (possibly cheese)
The offices were above the butchers counter, which was right at the back of the store. The offices had a window wall so you could look down on the shop floor. I remember working overtime, at Christmas's and Easter (busy times)  and it would usually be on a Sunday when the shop was shut and I would look out the office window and see the rats running around the aisles. Some would be lying there dead or dying, obviously they had eaten the poison that had been put out by the maintenance people (manager Mr Orme I think)
When Coopers was taken over by Scott's we had a visit from the CEO of Scott's. He was Canadian and I always remember how smartly dressed he was. Immaculate suit and his white shirt gleamed along with his gold cufflinks and black highly polished shoes.
After Scott's took over they changed a small section of the shop to a self serve. This was just for dry goods and I think it was at this time that the silver service restaurant got changed into a self serve cafeteria.
I remember also that Mr O'Rourke was very near retirement and sometimes I would find him fast asleep at his desk, so rather than him being found like that by his deputy manager, Mr Walker, I used to go back in my office and ring his phone and then hang up quickly before he answered but at least it woke him up.
In the office next to mine was the telephonist, Janet Brown. The switchboard was the type where you would plug a cord in to answer and transfer calls. I used to love helping her out if she needed to go an a break and I wasn't busy.
Great times and great memories and yes, who can forget the chicks at Easter time.
Title: Re: remember Coopers Church St Liverpool
Post by: GreenGarden on Tuesday 28 July 20 20:43 BST (UK)

Along with the Dolls Hospital, Coopers is another magical memory from childhood.
My dad worked in an office in Stanley Street and on Saturday mornings would take either my brother or me to the office to give my mum a rest. As a treat he'd take us to Coopers. The smell of the coffee and the sheer beauty of the dark wood counters and the tiled floors was gorgeous; even to me a little girl. Then we'd sit upstairs (I think) by tall glass windows sipping our tea or milk or whatever. I loved it then and I'd love it now.
 How I wish Liverpool had somewhere as beautiful to shop for food these days.